Judge to rule by Tuesday on filing deadlines

FRANKFORT, Ky. - A judge handling a high-profile court case sparked by Kentucky's redrawn legislative districts is expected to rule with 24 hours on whether to postpone Tuesday's deadline for candidates wanting to run in this year's House and Senate elections.

Franklin County Circuit Judge Phillip Shepherd said Monday that, if he does postpone the filing deadline, it would likely be done by issuing a temporary restraining order that would remain in place at least until a full evidentiary hearing is held.

His ruling and the filing deadline could come within hours of each other.

"The court approaches this with the view that an expedited ruling and an expedited hearing is absolutely necessary," Shepherd told lawyers who packed into his courtroom for two hours of arguments on Monday.

House Republicans hit hard in a contentious redistricting battle filed a lawsuit last week challenging the constitutionality of newly drawn legislative boundaries that they claim favor Democrats.

Victor Maddox, a Louisville attorney representing the GOP, argued that not changing the filing deadline would cause irreparable harm. David Tachau, a Lousiville attorney representing the State Board of Elections, said Maddox had failed to prove irreparable harm and that the filing deadline should remain unchanged.